Disk grinder and mixer



April 24, 1951 s, SCOTT 2,550,301

DISK GRINDER AND MIXER Filed July 6, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q v Q Elmer 5.500 v r INVENTOR. 9

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April 24, 1951 Filed July 6, 1948 Fig.3.

E. s. sco'r'r 2,550,301 DISK GRINDER AND MIXER 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Elmer 5.500)? INVENTOR.

by EM April 24, 1951 E. s. sco'rT DISK GRINDER AND MIXER 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 6, 1948 'fl n ver 545:0 JNVENTOR.

April 24, 1953 E. s. SCOTT DISK GRINDER AND MIXER 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 6, 1948 Elmer 5 Scarf IN VEN TOR.

Patented Apr. 24, 1951 UNITED STATES .ATENT OFFICE .3 xClaims.

invention relates to :a disk grinder of the :type :disclosed in :3. .Patent 2,316,982 issued April 29, 19.43, to .:L. A. Wilson. The inventionzaiso includes the mixing of a iiqui-dsuch asnnolasses with animal deeds as exemplified in Patent bio. 1,914,459 issued June 1210, 19.33, to F. J..-ReiderI-et:al.,;and;also agrindingrnaehine having separable grinding disks which are z-yield-- i-ngiy inrged into grinding relation with one another :as illustrated in U. Patent 302,826 issued July .29, 3 18814., to J. J: and 3.. Clark and Uw 3S. :Ratent 1,135,313 issued April '13, 1915, to W. Fiend-G. J. Moore.

"Theiprimary object: of the invention is to regulate the rapidity of the'feed of the Iliquidxin directipmportion to therapiiiity with whichrthe dry material is advanced into grinding position between a pair of rotating grinding disks or heads.

Another object is yieldingl-y to -.urge.one ;grinding disk into contact with the "other grinding disk or head and simultaneouslyaotuate a liquid valve which increases the flow-oi liquid, and the distribution thereof as the grinding disks or heads are moved away from one another according to the volume ofthe feed or other material to be ground that is confined between the grinding disks.

The above and other objects may be attained by employing this invention which embodies among its features a shaft mounted to rotate about a horizontalaxis and to move longitudinally along said axis, a grinding head intermediate the ends of the shaft and rotatable therewith, a tubular material eonduit mounted to rotate in spaced concentric relation about :said shaft between one end of said shaft and the grinding head, agrinding head on the tubular conduit adjacent the YfilTSt mentioned grinding head and common drive means --to drive both the shaft and the conduit in opposite directions.

Other features include a conveyor screw encircling the shaft and operable within the tubular conduit to advance material therein toward the grinding heads and means engaging the shaft yieldingly to hold the grinding rhead carried thereby in contact with the grinding head carried by the 'conduit.

Still other features include means entering the-shaft from the end remote from the tubular conduit for conveying liquid to the space be tween the grinding heads, and means automatically to increase the flow of liquid as the grinding heads are separated by increased volume of dry material-entering the space therebetween through the tubular conduit.

"Qther features include: adiustableineans to resist'the efiort of the :feed advanced through the tubular conduit'into itherspace between *the grinding :heads [to separate said grinding heads.

,In the drawings Figure l a side view "in elevation of a grinder and "mixer embodying :the features of this invention;

Figurefl is aflongitudinal sectional view taken in a vertical plane through-the grinder and'mixer illustrated in Figure -1-.and being on aslightly enlarged scale;

:Figure :3 is a horizontal sectional --.v.i'ew taken substantially along the {line :3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure :4 :is a verticalsectional view taken substantiallyzalong the .line i- 4 of Figure 2-;

Figure 5:isra vertical sectional view takensubstantially along the line s ear Figure 2;

.Figureafids .ravvertica-l sectional view taken substantially .along the line 6.6 of Figure 2;

.Eigure 7 is .a .vertical sectional view .takenisubstantially along the line fi al .of Figure 2;

Eigure 8 is .a vertical sectional view taken substantiallyralong 'the line .8-.8 of Figure 2;

Figure 9 .is .a fragmentary enlarged vertical. sectional view taken suhstantiallyalong the line 9-.9 of Eigure 2; .and

Figure 1.0 is an enlarged perspective view of the means for regulating the pressure exerted by -..the disks .on the material being groundv and alsoior regulating the rapidity with which liquid is :admitted to the space :between the grinding disks .01 heads.

:Referring -.to the drawings in detail this improvedfeedigrinding and mixing mill comprises .a housing Ill *in which the grinding disks operate. Thelower end of the housing is open and may discharge into a mixed 'feed bin or the like according to the requirements of the user. One side wall of the housing in is provided with an opening: ii of relatively mall diameter, and aligning axially with the opening 12 in the opposite wall :of the :housing isan opening it of considerably larger diameter. A'suitable standard It extends upwardly in spaced parallel relation to the housing 16 on the side thereof containing the opening M and carried by the "standard 16 are vertically :spaced anti-friction bearings :l8 and 20, the *former of which aligns axially with the openings I2 and It. Fixedto the housing In on the side remote from "the standard 15 :are suitable supports 22 carrying in alignment with the openings and M a suitable'bearing :member" 24' which :is equipped with a :conventionai end packing laagainstfwhich a-fitting 2.8: abuts. This fitting is provided at the end remote from the bearing 24 with a valve 35 containing a turning plug 32 having an L-shaped port 34, one leg of which is adapted to register with a port 36 which opens into the interior of the fitting 28, when the opposite leg registers with a port 38 through which liquid, such as molasses enters the valve from a suitable supply pipe 40 which is connected with any source of supply (not shown). The turning plug 32 of the valve is provided with a stem 42 to the outer end of which is fixed an actuating lever 44 by which the turning plug may be rotated within the body of the valve 30. The lever 44 is provided with a longitudinally extending elongated slot 46 for a purpose to be more fully hereinafter described. Fixed to the housing I on the side thereof having the opening I4 therein is a suitable anti-friction bearing 48 which aligns axially with the bearing 28 previously referred to.

Mounted for rotation in the bearings 2|! and 48 is a transmission shaft 50 carrying a drive pulley 52 which is coupled to the drive pulley 54 of a suitable prime mover 55, such as an electric motor, through the medium of a plurality of endless drive belts 58. As illustrated in Figure 2 the drive pulley 52 is keyed to the shaft 50 so that When the prime mover is set into operation, the shaft 50 will be rotated. Fixed to the transmission shaft 58 adjacent the drive pulley 52 is a sprocket E9, and keyed or otherwise fixed to the shaft 59 adjacent the sprocket 60 is a drive pulley B2. A drive pinion 64 is keyed or otherwise fixed to the shaft 56 to rotate therewith near the end of the shaft which rotates in the bearing 48 for meshing engagement with the drive gear driving one of the grinding heads or discs to be more fully hereinafter described Mounted for rotation in the anti-friction bearing I8 is one end of a shaft 66, the opposite end of which rotates in the bearing member 24, and projects into the fitting 28. This shaft 66 is arranged to not only rotate in the bearing members above referred to, but also to slide longitudinally therein along a horizontal axis which lies parallel to the axis of the shaft 50 as will be readily understood upon reference to Figure 2. Fixed to the shaft 66 intermediate the ends thereof and within the housing If! is a grinding head or disk 68 having a flat grinding face I0 which is provided at spaced intervals with arcuate grooves I2 (Fig. 4) which converge toward the shaft 66. Entering the end of the shaft 66 which i contained within the fitting 28 is a passage I4 which extends into the back of the disk 68 and opens into divergent passages IS. The ends of the passages I open through the flat face III of the grinding disk or head 68 as will be readily understood upon reference to Figures 2 and 4.

It will thus be seen that liquid entering the fitting 28 through the valve 30 will be conducted through the shaft 66 and passages IE to the face of the disk 68. Splined or otherwise fixed to the shaft 66 adjacent the end remote from the fitting 2B, for longitudinal sliding movement relative to said shaft, but for rotation therewith is a sprocket 18 which is coupled to the drive sprocket 60 by an endless chain 80. It will thus be seen that when the shaft 59 is driven, the shaft 66 will be rotated in unison therewith.

Mounted for rotation on suitable bearings 82 about the shaft 66 between the grinding head or disk 68 and the sprocket I8 is a tubular shaft 84 carrying on its periphery a spiral flange 86 which cooperates with the tubular conduit and hopper to be more fully hereinafter described in forming a material conveyor screw by which the material to be ground and mixed is advanced toward the grinding head or disk 68.

Supported on the standard IB is a hopper 88 which is provided in one end wall with an opening 32 through which the tubular shaft 84 extends, and fixed to the end of the tubular shaft which projects through the opening 92 is a pulley 92 which has driving connection with the pulley 62 through the medium of endless belts 94. The opposite end of the hopper is provided with an opening 96 of a size sufiicient to accommodate the spiral flange of the tubular shaft 34 and surrounding the opening 96 is an annular flange 98 which forms the support for one end of a tubular conduit IE9, the opposite end of which projects through the opening I4 of the casing II] and has fixed thereto a grinding disk or head I02 having a fiat face I04 which opposes the fiat face of the grinding head or disk I0, and cooperates therewith in grinding the feed which i fed through the hopper and the tubular conduit. Encircling the tubular conduit Hit! substantially midway between its ends, and in meshing relation with the drive pinion 64 is a gear I05 which has driving connection with the tubular conduit so that when the shaft 59 is rotated the tubular conduit and grinding head or disk I02 will be driven. A suitable tubular guard I28 encloses the tubular conduit I20 and is fixed at one end to the casing I0, while the opposite end projects toward the hopper 88 as will be readily understood upon reference to Figures 2 and 3. Suitable bearings III] are arranged at opposite ends of the guard I08 to support the tubular conduit IIIU for concentric rotation therein.

Fixed to the side of the housing It) remote from the tubular conduit I02 is a bracket arm II2 to which is pivotally coupled as at H4 the knee of a bell crank lever H6, one leg of which projects donwwardly and is coupled intermediate its ends to a suitable fork or ring I !3 which operates in a grooved ring 28 which is fixed to the shaft 66 near the wall of the housing I!) to which the bracket I2 is fixed. A suitable weight I22 is adjustably mounted for longitudinal movement along the opposite arm of the bell crank lever I6, yieldingly to rock the bell crank lever H6 about its pivot H4 and cause the ring or fork H8 to advance the shaft 66 longitudinally and yieldingly hold the grinding face it of the grinding head 68 against the grinding face I04 of the grinding head or disk I02. The lower end of the depending arm of the bell crank lever H6 is provided with an arm I24 which lies parallel with the arm along which the weight I22 slides, and formed in the arm I24 is an elongated longitudinally extending slot I26. A link I28 is coupled as by a bolt I38, at one end to the valve actuating lever arm 44 for longitudinal adjustment in the slot 4-6, and the opposite end of the link I28 is coupled as by a bolt it to the arm I24 for longitudinal adjustment in the slot I26. It will thus be seen that as the bell crank lever H6 moves about its pivot I14, the lever arm 44 will be moved to rotate the turning plug 32 in the valve 30.

In operation the feed or grain to be ground is introduced into the hopper 88, and with the prime mover 56 set into operation it will be obvious that the transmission shaft 51} will be rotated to drive the pulley 62 and through the medium of the belts B l willcause the pulley 9'. to rotate and transmit rotary motion to the tubular shaft 84 which is turned in a direction to cause the feed screw 86 to advance the material to be grounded toward the grinding head or disk 68. Simultaneously with the rotation of the tubular shaft 84, the chain and sprocket connection between the sprockets 60, chain 80 and sprocket I8 will cause the shaft 66 to rotate, and hence drive the grinding disk or head in the same direction as the tubular shaft 8d rotates. Through the medium of the pinion 64 and gear I00, the tubular conduit I00 will be rotated in a direction reverse to the direction of rotation of the shaft 66, and since the head or grinding disk I02 is rotatable with the tubular conduit I09, it will be obvious that the head I 92 will rotate in a direction opposite the direction of rotation of the head 68. As the feed or grain, or other material to be ground is fed by the screw 86 against the head 88, it will be obvious that the two heads 68 and I82 will be under pressure so that the head 68 will tend to move away from the head I92, thus causing the shaft 68 to move longitudinally along its longitudinal axis against the effort of the weight I22 which acts through the medium of the bell crank I I6, fork or ring H6 and the grooved ring I20 to urge the face 19 of the disk 58 against the face I 04 of the disk or head I02. In this way the space between the disks or heads 68 and I02 will vary according to the rapidity with which the material to be ground is fed through the tubular conduit I00. Simultaneously with the movement of the grinding head 68 away from the head I02, the arm I24 on the bell crank lever H6 will move to cause the link I28 to actuate the lever arm 44 of the valve 30 and move the turning plug 32 within the valve body in a direction to increase the flow of liquid from the pipe 89 into the fitting 28. Liquid flowing through the pipe 40, valve 30 and fitting 28 will enter the passage I4 in the shaft 66 to be discharged through the passages I6 which open through the face I0 of the grinding head or disk 68 so as to cause it to be thoroughly intermingled with the material entering the space between the grinding disks or heads 68 and I02 through the tubular conduit I00. It will be apparent from the foregoing that the volume of liquid admitted to the space between the grinding heads or disks will automatically be governed in accordance with the volume of feed or other material introduced between the grinding disks by the worm or screw conveyor 86 and hence the machine may be set to grind or mix feed and the like with any suitable liquid. By adjusting the weight I22 along the uppermost arm of the bell crank II6, it will be obvious that the pressure required to move the grinding head or disk 68 under the influence of the feed travelling through the tubular conduit I00 under the influence of the conveyor screw 86 may be varied according to the desires invention what is intermediate the ends of and rotatable with the shaft, said head having diverging passages therethrough, a tubular material conduit mounted to rotate in spaced concentric relation about the shaft between one end thereof and the grinding head, a second grinding head mounted on the tubular conduit adjacent the first mentioned grinding head, said shaft having an axial passage entering the end thereof remote from the tubular conduit and opening into said divergent passages for distributing liquid between the grinding heads common drive means to drive both the shaft and the conduit in opposite directions, yieldable m'eans engaging the shaft to advance the grinding head carried by said shaft toward the grinding head carried by the conduit, and valve means carried by the last named end of said shaft and operated by the yielding means to increase and decrease the volume of liquid admitted to said axial passage in accordance with increase and decrease in the volume of material fed to the grinding heads for being ground and mixed.

2. The construction defined in claim 1, wherein said yieldable means comprises a lever coupled to the shaft to shift said shaft longitudinally along the horizontal axis, a weight shiftable along said lever to yieldingly hold the grinding head carried by the shaft in contact with the second grinding head, said valve means including a rotatable valve member having an actuating lever coupled to the first named lever.

3. In a grinder, a shaft mounted to rotate about a horizontal axis and to move longitudinally along said axis, a grinding head intermediate the ends of the shaft and rotatable therewith, a tubular material conduit mounted to rotate in spaced concentric relation about said shaft between one end of said shaft and the grinding head, a second grinding head on the inner end of the tubular conduit and adjacent the first mentioned grinding head, a conveyor screw having a tubular shaft encircling the first named shaft and operable within the tubular conduit to advance material therein toward the grinding heads, and common drive means connected to adjacent ends of said shafts and to the conduit for driving both of the shafts in one direction and the conduit in the opposite direction.

ELMER S. SCO'I'I'.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

